Subchannels for a wireless slotted communication system

ABSTRACT

Subchannels are defined for a wireless slotted communication system. A series of radio frames are provided. Each radio frame in the series is associated with a system frame number (SFN). A time slot is assigned in the radio frames for the subchannels. Each subchannel is associated with specified ones of the SFNs.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/020,725, filed Dec. 12, 2001, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/256,621, filed on Dec. 19, 2000, which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The invention generally relates to wireless time division duplex (TDD) communication systems using code division multiple access. In particular, the invention relates to sub-channels for the physical random access channel (PRACH) for such systems.

[0003] In code division multiple access (CDMA) communication systems using frequency division duplex (FDD), such as proposed for the third generation partnership project (3GPP), physical random access channels (PRACHs) are used for transmitting infrequent data packets and system control information from the user equipments (UEs) or users to the Node-B.

[0004] In a 3GPP FDD/CDMA system, the PRACH is divided into ten (10) millisecond radio frames 22 ₁ to 22 ₈ (22) having fifteen (15) timeslots 24, as shown in FIG. 1. The radio frames 22 are sequentially numbered, such as numbered from 0 to 255, as a system frame number. The system frame numbers are sequentially repeated. The random access transmission starts at the beginning of a number of well-defined time intervals, denoted access slots 26. The random access transmissions 28 ₁ to 28 ₅ (28) from the users are begun in a particular access slot 26 and continue for one or multiple slots 26. These transmissions are sent using a randomly selected signature associated with an access service class (ASC) assigned by a radio resource controller of the network to the user.

[0005] The PRACH is used for infrequent data packets and system control information and the network uses sub-channels of the PRACH for futher separation of UEs and access service classes. In the 3GPP FDD/CDMA system, each sub-channel is associated with a subset of the total uplink access slots 26, described as follows.

[0006] Two sequential radio frames 22 are combined into one access frame 20. The access frame is divided into 15 access slots 26. Each access slot 26 has a duration of two radio frame timeslots 24 as shown in FIG. 1. The duration of a radio frame 22 is shown in FIG. 1 by the dual headed arrows. The sub-channels are assigned to the access slots 26 by sequentially numbering the slots from 0 to 11, as shown in FIG. 1. After sub-channel 11 is assigned, the next access slot 26 is numbered 0 and the numbering is repeated. The access slot 26 to sub-channel numbering is repeated every 8 radio frames or 80 milliseconds (ms). This repetition can be viewed as a modulo (mod) 8 counting of the radio frame numbers.

[0007] In 3GPP FDD/CDMA, multiple PRACHs are used. Each PRACH is uniquely associated with a random access channel (RACH) transport channel and is also associated with a unique combination of preamble scrambling code, available preamble signatures and available sub-channels.

[0008]FIG. 2 is one example of an illustration of such an association. RACH 0 30 ₀ is paired with PRACH 0 32 ₀ through a coding block 31 ₀. The data received over PRACH 0 32 ₀ is recovered using the preamble scrambling code 0 34 ₀ and the appropriate preamble signature 38 that the data was sent.

[0009] PRACH 0 32 ₀ is uniquely associated with preamble scrambling code 0 34 ₀ and has three access service classes (ASCs), ASC0 40 ₀, ASC1 40 ₁ and ASC2 40 ₂. Although the number of ASCs shown in this example are three, the maximum number of ASCs is eight (8). Each ASC 40 has a number of available sub-channels, available preamble signatures and a persistence factor. The persistence factor represents the persistence in retransmitting the preamble signature after a failed access attempt. In 3GPP FDD/CDMA, the maximum available sub-channels 36 is 12 and the maximum available preamble signatures 38 is 16.

[0010] RACH 1 30 ₁ is paired with PRACH 1 32 ₁. PRACH 1 32 ₁ is uniquely associated with preamble scrambling code 1 34 ₁ and its sub-channels 36 and preamble signatures 38 are partitioned into four ASCs 40, ASC0 40 ₃, ASC1 40 ₄, ASC2 40 ₅ and ASC3 40 ₆. RACH 2 30 ₂ is paired with PRACH 2 32 ₂. PRACH 2 32 ₂ uses preamble scrambling code 2 34 ₂, which is also used by PRACH 3 32 ₃. Three ASCs 40 are available for PRACH 2 32 ₂, ASC0 40 ₇, ASC1 40 ₈ and ASC2 40 ₉. Because PRACH 2 and PRACH 3 share the preamble scrambling code, a group of partitioned off available sub-channels/available preamble signature combinations are not used for PRACH 2 32 ₂. The partitioned off area is used by PRACH 3 32 ₃.

[0011] RACH 3 30 ₃ is paired with PRACH 3 32 ₃. PRACH 3 32 ₃ also uses preamble scrambling code 2 34 ₂ and uses ASC0 40 ₁₀ and ASC1 40 ₁₁. ASC0 40 ₁₀ and ASC1 40 ₁₁ contain the available sub-channel/signature set not used by PRACH 2 32 ₃.

[0012] Since each PRACH ASC 40 is uniquely associated with a preamble scrambling code 34 and available preamble signatures set and sub-channels, the Node-B can determine which PRACH 32 and ASC 40 is associated with received PRACH data. As a result, the received PRACH data is sent to the appropriate RACH transport channel. Although each PRACH 32 is illustrated in this example by having the ASCs 40 partitioned by available preamble signatures, the partitions may also be by sub-channel 36.

[0013] Another communication system proposed to use PRACHs is a CDMA system using time division duplex (TDD), such as the proposed 3GPP TDD/CDMA system. In TDD, radio frames are divided into timeslots used for transferring user data. Each timeslot is used to transfer only uplink or downlink data. By contrast, an FDD/CDMA system divides the uplink and downlink by frequency spectrum. Although the air interface, physical layer, between FDD and TDD systems are quite different, it is desirable to have similarities between the two systems to reduce the complexity at the network layers, such as layer 2 and 3.

[0014] Accordingly, it is desirable to have sub-channels for the RACH for TDD.

SUMMARY

[0015] Subchannels are defined for a wireless slotted communication system. A series of radio frames are provided. Each radio frame in the series is associated with a system frame number (SFN). A time slot is assigned in the radio frames for the subchannels. Each subchannel is associated with specified ones of the SFNs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0016]FIG. 1 is an illustration of access slots and sub-channels for a FDD/CDMA system.

[0017]FIG. 2 is an illustration of PRACH configurations in a FDD/CDMA system.

[0018]FIG. 3 is an illustration of sub-channels in a time division duplex (TDD)/CDMA system.

[0019]FIG. 4 is an illustration of PRACH configurations in a TDD/CDMA system.

[0020]FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram of a Node-B/base station and a user equipment using a TDD/CDMA PRACH.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0021] Although the following discussion uses a 3GPP system for illustration, sub-channels for a TDD PRACH is applicable to other systems.

[0022]FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred implementation of sub-channels for timeslot 3 for PRACHs of a TDD/CDMA system. Each PRACH 48 is associated with one timeslot number 56 and a set of sub-channels 50 and channelization codes 52, as shown in FIG. 4. For a particular timeslot number 56, a sub-channel 50 is uniquely associated with a radio frame 44, as shown by double ended arrows. In a preferred implementation, such as shown in FIG. 3, each sub-channel 50 is sequentially assigned to sequential radio frames 44. To illustrate, sub-channel 0 is associated with a timeslot number of a j^(th) radio frame, such as radio frame 0 of FIG. 4. Sub-channel 1 is associated with the same timeslot number of the next (j+1^(th)) radio frame, such as radio frame 1.

[0023] After n radio frames, the next n frames are assigned the same sub-channels 50. For instance, sub-channel 0 is assigned to radio frame n+j, such as radio frame n. For a particular timeslot 56, the sub-channels 50 are assigned based on the system frame number, which is a series of repeating radio frames. A preferred scheme uses a modulo function of the system frame number (SFN) for n sub-channels. For sub-channel i, Equation 1 is used.

SFN modn=i  Equation 1

[0024] mod n is a modulo n function. One illustration uses a modulo 8 function, such as per Equation 2.

SFN mod8=i  Equation 2

[0025] As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, in a first frame 44 ₀ in timeslot 3, sub-channel 0 is assigned. In a second frame 44 ₁, sub-channel 1 is assigned and so on until an eighth frame 44 ₇ where sub-channel 7 is assigned. Preferably, the number of sub-channels is 8, 4, 2 or 1. Although FIG. 3 only illustrates sub-channel assignments for timeslot 3, the same scheme is used on any timeslot number.

[0026] In a FDD/CDMA system, each PRACH 32 is associated with a unique combination of preamble scrambling code 34, available sub-channels 36 and available preamble signatures 38. One example of a potential implementation of 4 PRACHs is shown in FIG. 4.

[0027] In an analogous manner, each PRACH 48 in a TDD system is preferably associated with a unique combination of timeslot 56, available channelization codes 50 (preferred a maximum of 8) and available sub-channels 52 (preferred maximum of 8) as shown in FIG. 4. The channelization codes 52 are used by the users to transmit the uplink data. Similar to FDD, each TDD PRACH 48 is paired with a RACH 46 transport channel via a coding block 47. FIG. 4 illustrates a general configuration for the PRACHs 48. Each PRACH 48 is associated with a timeslot 56 and a set of available sub-channels 50 and available channelization codes 52. As shown in FIG. 4, each PRACH 48 in a particular timeslot is assigned exclusive channelization codes 52. This allows the base station PRACH receiver to distinguish between the different PRACHs 48 by knowing the channelization codes 52 used to recover the received PRACH data.

[0028] ASCs 54 are preferably formed by partitioning a particular PRACH's available sub-channels 50 and channelization codes 52. Typically, a limit is set for the number of ASCs 54, such as eight (8). RACH 0 460 receives data over PRACH 0 480 by decoding data transmitted in timeslot 0 560 with the appropriate channelization codes of PRACH 0 480. The available sub-channels 50 and channelization codes 52 are partitioned into three ASCs 54, ASC0 540, ASC1 541 and ASC2 542. As shown, each partition is set by channelization codes 52, although, in another implementation, the partitions may be by sub-channels 36 or a unique set of channelization code/sub-channel combinations. As a result in the present example, each ASC 54 has a unique set of channelization codes 52 for that PRACH 48. The ASC 54 associated with received PRACH data is determined using the channelization code 52 used to recover the received PRACH data.

[0029] RACH 1 46 ₁ receives data over PRACH 1 48 ₁ by decoding data transmitted in timeslot 1 56 ₁ using PRACH 1's channelization codes 52. The available sub-channels 50 and channelization codes 52 are partitioned into four ASCs 54, ASC0 54 ₃, ASC1 54 ₄, ASC2 54 ₅ and ASC3 54 ₆.

[0030] RACH 2 46 ₂ receives data over PRACH 2 48 ₂ by decoding data transmitted in timeslot 2 56 ₂ using PRACH 2's channelization codes 52. The available sub-channels 50 and channelization codes 52 are partitioned into three ASCs 54, ASC0 54 ₇, ASC1 54 ₈ and ASC2 54 ₉, and an unavailable partition used for PRACH 3 48 ₃. RACH 3 46 ₃ receives data over PRACH 3 48 ₃ by decoding data transmitted in timeslot 2 56 ₂ using PRACH 3's channelization codes 52. The available sub-channels 50 and channelization codes 52 for timeslot 2 56 ₂ are partitioned into two ASCs 54, ASC0 54 ₁₀ and ASC1 54 ₁₁ and an unavailable partition used by PRACH 2 48 ₂. As shown in FIG. 4, timeslot 2 56 ₂ is effectively divided into two PRACHs 48, PRACH 2 48 ₂ and 3 48 ₃, by channelization codes 52. As a result in this example, data received in timeslot 2 56 ₂ is sent to the appropriate PRACH 48 based on the channelization codes used to transmit the data. Alternately in another implementation, the partition may be by sub-channels 36 or channelization code/sub-channel combinations.

[0031] As shown in the PRACH implementation of FIG. 4, the example of the TDD PRACH configuration is analogous to the example FDD PRACH configuration of FIG. 2. In TDD, each PRACH is associated with a timeslot 56. In FDD, each PRACH is associated with a preamble scrambling code 34. TDD ASCs 54 are preferably partitioned by available channelization codes 52 and FDD ASCs 40 by available preamble signatures 38. These similarities for these examples allow for the higher layers to operate similarly between TDD and FDD.

[0032]FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram of a TDD PRACH system. For use in sending PRACH information, such as an assigned PRACH and ASC, to the UE 60 from the network controller 62 via the Node-B/base station 58, a PRACH information signaling device 66 is used. The PRACH information signal passes through a switch 70 or isolator and is radiated by an antenna 72 or an antenna array through a wireless radio channel 74. The radiated signal is received by an antenna 76 at the UE 60. The received signal is passed through a switch 78 or isolator to a PRACH information receiver 82.

[0033] To send data over the PRACH from the UE 60 to the base station 58, a PRACH transmitter 80 spreads the PRACH data 84 with one of the available codes for the PRACH assigned to the UE 60 and time multiplexes the spread data with the timeslot of that PRACH. The spread data is passed through a switch 78 or isolator and radiated by an antenna 76 through a wireless radio interface 74. An antenna 72 or antenna array at the base station 58 receives the radiated signal. The received signal is passed through a switch 70 or isolator to a PRACH receiver 68. The PRACH data 84 is recovered by the PRACH receiver 68 using the code used to spread the PRACH data 84. The recovered PRACH data 84 is sent to the RACH transport channel 64 ₁-64 _(N) associated with that PRACH. The network controller 62 provides PRACH information to the PRACH receiver 68 for use in recovering the PRACH data 84. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of defining subchannels for a wireless slotted communication system, the method comprising: providing a series of radio frames, each radio frame in the series associated with a system frame number (SFN); assigning a time slot in the radio frames for the subchannels; and associating each subchannel with specified ones of the SFNs.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the associating each subchannel with specified ones of the SFNs is by a modulo counting of the SFNs.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein a number of the subchannels is N and N has a value of either 1, 2, 4 or
 8. 4. The method of claim 3 wherein an i^(th) subchannel is associated with a SFN by i=SFN mod N.
 5. A user equipment comprising: a transmitter for sending communications over a physical random access channel (PRACH), the PRACH having subchannels, the subchannels assigned to a time slot and each subchannel associated with specified ones of system frame numbers (SFNs) of a series of radio frames.
 6. The user equipment of claim 5 wherein the associating each subchannel with specified ones of the SFNs is by a modulo counting of the SFNs.
 7. The user equipment of claim 5 wherein a number of the subchannels is N and N has a value of either1, 2, 4 or
 8. 8. The user equipment of claim 7 wherein an i^(th) subchannel is associated with a SFN by i=SFN mod N.
 9. A Node-B comprising: a receiver for receiving communications over a physical random access channel (PRACH), the PRACH having subchannels, the subchannels assigned to a time slot and each subchannel associated with specified ones of system frame numbers (SFNs) of a series of radio frames.
 10. The Node-B of claim 9 wherein the associating each subchannel with specified ones of the SFNs is by a modulo counting of the SFNs.
 11. The Node-B of claim 9 wherein a number of the subchannels is N and N has a value of either 1, 2, 4 or
 8. 12. The Node-B of claim 11 wherein an i^(th) subchannel is associated with a SFN by i=SFN mod N. 